United States Federal Offworld Threat Response Force
The United States Federal Offworld Threat Response Force was created in the months that followed the Caerus Incident. The incident had made it clear to the US government that there were threats on other worlds, and furthermore, that those threats likely now had their sights set on Earth. The FOTR attempted to research technology that would allow them to better secure Earth, and trained and equipped special operatives to engage offworld incursions as they occurred. However, the FOTR ultimately failed in its mission, as Earth was invaded and quickly subjugated in 2010. Founding Officially, the federal government of the United States did not make any mention of the existence of the new Federal Offworld Threat Response Force. Unofficially, the force was created and given black budget funding on October 3rd, 2006. It was controlled by the Department of Defense, specifically by the United States Special Operations Command and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. The primary objective of the Federal Offworld Threat Response Force was essentially to ensure that something like the Caerus Incident would never catch the US government off balance again. This was to be accomplished via research and development into interdimensional portal technology, in order to figure out how best to dampen and otherwise restrict incursions via those means. The actual threat response force was given prototype weapons and specialized training by experienced survivors of the Caerus Incident. In the event of a detected interdimensional incursion, they would be sent in to terminate anything that came through. Divisions Military The military division was the actual response force, and would be called out in the event of any interdimensional incursion. They were provided with prototype equipment developed by DARPA to support their mission. Initially comprised of HECU survivors of the Caerus Incident, the force later expanded through the addition of additional special operations personnel. Training scenarios were based around situations encountered in the Caerus Incident, though there were some speculative scenarios thrown in as well. A major principle of the force's training was to be ready for anything, as it was very much unknown what might exist on the other side of any given interdimensional portal or rift. Research The research division was initially made up of the few researchers who survived the Caerus Incident. Additional researchers were recruited, and facilities seized, as the Caerus Laboratories Corporation quickly collapsed in the aftermath of the incident. This provided the government with already existing infrastructure and technology to work with, as well as personnel with the knowledge to effectively make use of it. Some of the research they conducted was a direct continuation of the research into energy weapon prototypes and other technologies that had been occurring at the Caerus Research Facility. However, the overwhelming majority of the research conducted was into portal technology, how to control said portals, and how to prevent any portals from other dimensions opening. Timeline of Activities *May 17th, 2005 - The federal government engages in an intensive cover up effort surrounding the Caerus incident. All surviving HECU soldiers are sworn to secrecy on penalty of court martial. Communication from Aperture Science stopped around this period, but it was noticed by only a few in all the chaos following the Caerus incident, and eventually becomes forgotten about altogether. *May to November 2005 - The US military takes direct control of all remaining Caerus facilities. A few are kept under federal control and placed under DARPA, and the rest are sold off to Caerus's competitors. *December 14th, 2005 - Researchers at MIT mark their first confirmation of an interdimensional incursion since the Caerus Incident. Using their findings to assess some previous anomalies, they determine several other incidents in the aftermath of the Resonance Cascade were similar to what they detected. Based on the chaotic nature of these anomalies, they are deemed "portal storms." They report their findings to the government, which quickly presses the researchers into DARPA. *Early 2006 - Additional portal storms are detected. Some of these result in damage that is later witnessed by civilians. The federal government covers it up, blaming the most destructive incidents on weather phenomena or terrorism. *May 20, 2006 - Multiple portal storms are detected. Military units are deployed to their locations. Some return without incident, while others engage and terminate or capture Xenian life forms. Details about these engagements are kept highly classified. *October 3rd, 2006 - Under the orders of the President, the Department of Defense creates the United States Federal Offworld Threat Response Force. *February 17th, 2007 - The research division successfully creates a prototype rail gun. Efforts commence to miniaturize the technology for use by the military division. *November 29th, 2009 - The FOTR responds to an anomaly in West Virginia. They encounter a small group of vortigaunts. Unlike previous encounters at Caerus, however, these vortigaunts were not aggressive, and instead seemed to attempt to communicate. They willingly went into FOTR custody as scientists and linguistics personnel attempted to breach the communications divide. The vortigaunts learned English surprisingly quickly, while the researchers were generally unable to decipher the vortigaunts' own language. The vortigaunts warned that there was not much time left. *Early 2010 - There is a massive increase in the frequency and severity of portal storms across the world. The FOTR is unable to respond to all the incidents, and the federal government is no longer able to keep a lid on the situation as chaos erupts across the country and across the world. All FOTR research personnel are ordered to their research facilities, and all military operatives tasked to the force were assigned to the facilities as well, for indefinite terms. The rest of the military is set to DEFCON 3. At this point, the government was desperate for solutions, and had few other organizations they could turn to. *September 12th, 2010 - The FOTR research division, as well as many other physics researchers across the planet, detect a sudden rise in quantum fluctuation activity. The entire US military is put on DEFCON 1. *September 13th, 2010 - The Universal Union invades Earth, laying waste to its defenses in the span of seven hours. Collapse In the late 2000's, the quantum rifts increased in frequency and severity. The Federal Offworld Threat Response Force found itself frequently overstretched attempting to head off all the incidents, and the federal government was having a harder time keeping a lid on things. In the months before the Seven Hour War, the portal storms began unleashing chaos across the world, as extraterrestrial life began pouring through the rifts in great numbers. The FOTR was working desperately to find a solution, especially since by this point they knew what was happening was only a prelude to what was coming. However, despite their best efforts, they were unable to prevent the invasion of Earth. It is unknown what happened to the FOTR in the aftermath of the Seven Hour War, though it can be assumed they faced a similar fate as other Earth militaries and government organizations. Category:Factions